Could This Unexpected Team Shake Up the Big 12 Championship Odds?

Weekends in college football can be a rollercoaster — one moment you’re riding high, the next you’re scratching your head wondering where it all went wrong. After a lukewarm 1-1 showing myself, with Texas scraping past Vanderbilt thanks to Arch Manning, I’m itching for a bounce-back as BYU takes on Texas Tech at noon ET. Here’s the million-dollar question: Is BYU’s spotless 8-0 record and top spot in the Big 12 a true reflection of their might, or just smoke and mirrors fueled by a soft schedule? Texas Tech, sitting at ninth nationally with the same eight-win tally, is lurking close enough to snatch that throne if BYU stumbles. But with both teams playing a schedule that’s drawn more yawns than gasps, who really deserves the spotlight here? Odds have BYU getting points — a number that feels generous, given how evenly matched these squads are. So, will we see an offense explosion hitting that 53.5 over, or will the defense tighten the screws? It’s a nail-biter that could shape the Big 12 landscape, and I’m betting it’s going to be every bit as intriguing as the question of whether BYU’s ranking is earned or just a fluke. LEARN MORE.

BYU vs. Texas Tech, 12:00 ET

It was a ho-hum weekend for me in College Football, going 1-1. With Arch Manning under center, Texas was able to take down Vanderbilt. It didn’t quite diminish the hopes of Vanderbilt getting into the College Football Playoffs, but it did push them further back. The game I lost was between Cincinnati and Utah. The Utes put up too many points and made my under bet toast. I’m looking to get a win here in a big matchup between BYU and Texas Tech.

BYU comes into the game holding the top spot in the Big 12. Is this team destined to win the Big 12? I think this game pretty much determines that. They are 8-0 for the season and 5-0 in conference play. Sure, even if they win, they still will have to face someone for the championship, but they have certainly positioned themselves for the position as of now. They have a game on Cincinnati and Houston as well, so even with a loss, it is likely they will at least play for the Championship in a couple of weeks. BYU might be a bit of a fake rank. They have only played one ranked team when they hosted Utah two weeks ago. Their wins are against Portland State, Stanford, East Carolina, Colorado, West Virginia, Arizona, and Iowa State. None of those teams are all that impressive. Even the remainder of the season isn’t against very tough competition outside of today. As I’ve said before, I don’t blame them for beating whoever they play on their schedule. That’s out of their control, but I also don’t rank them as high as others.

Texas Tech is breathing down the necks of BYU. They are ninth in the country, and the only other eight win team in the Big 12. A loss here sets them back fairly significantly because they don’t have that same edge over their other conference foes that BYU has. I kind of bashed BYU for their schedule, but it isn’t like Texas Tech has had a very tough route here. They did beat Utah with ease in Utah, but outside of that, they didn’t play any officially ranked team. They beat Houston on the road and Kansas State. The other wins came against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Kent State, Oregon State, Kansas, and Oklahoma State. Their lone loss was against Arizona State, a game they dropped 26-22. This was a game where the defense couldn’t get the stop needed in order to secure the victory. They got close enough for a last second heave, but it fell incomplete.

Neither one of these teams are all that impressive in my opinion. BYU is better, but I don’t find them to be a significantly better team. The line on them is a bit disrespectful. They are getting 10.5 points. I understand that Texas Tech needs to win the game a bit more than BYU, but if BYU loses, they probably drop to 15th or worse in the nation. I don’t think either team moves up all that much with a win. And, although those rankings don’t officially matter, you want to climb as high as possible. I think this game goes over the 53.5, but I also think that BYU covers the spread, it is just too many points for rather evenly matched teams. Back the over and grab the points.

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